Not What He Expected
by Piggwidgeon
Summary: Harry proposes to Ginny...and gets a response he wasn't expecting...


Disclaimer: I don't own Potter Property.

Not What He Expected

Harry got down on one knee in front of Ginevra Molly Weasley, a ring in hand, and said, "Ginevra Molly Weasley, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

And Ginny, in front of all her brothers and their wives, in front of Teddy and Andromeda, in front of everyone paled to a sickly gray. Harry's eyes widened.

"Harry…can…can I have some time to think about it?" she whispered, gently closing the box with the ring. "I'm not sure this is the…the right time."

Harry stared at her, his own face granite, and nodded, slipping the ring back into his pocket and said, "Of course." He put his hand on hers. "I don't want to rush you into anything. Ginny. I love you. Time won't change that."

Ginny offered a sheepish grin, her eyes quickly filling with tears.

"Excuse me," she said. She stood up and ran upstairs, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks.

Harry glanced at Ron, a horrified look on his face. That was not what he was expecting. The entire Weasley clan, for once, was silent.

3

"Ginevra," Colin whispered in her ear, the darkness of the Room of Requirement wrapping around them. "Are you still awake?"

"A Slytherin just came in," she whispered back. "I think he might be hurt. I don't know if I should check on him or if someone else is handling it."

Colin shifted on the small twin sized bed and stood up, slinking off into the darkness. Ginny rolled onto her back and watched his bulky sillouhette go into the darkness, his wand lighting the way before him. He squatted by a far bed, spoke a few low words, and came back over.

"It is a Slytherin. Can you get some antiseptic ready? The Carrows…the Carrows are starting to…" He stopped talking, his words sounding to normal to normal ears, but to Ginny they were laced with pain and frustration.

Ginny stood up, cupping his scruffy cheek in one hand, and kissed him lightly on the lips. She had it under control. As usual, she slipped into their stores and got the appropriate materials, and then brought them to Colin, his broad hands soothing the girl's burns.

The Slytherin was crying. No. No the Slytherin, Ginny corrected. The student. The first year. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she knelt down besides Colin. The girl twitched away from his touch, as if she was afraid or as if it hurt.

"I won't hurt you," Colin said. "Do you know where you are?"

The first year shook her head 'no'.

"You're in the Room of Requirement. Ok? If you pass by that door three times thinking of what you need, a door will appear leading to that place. Anytime you need us, you do that, alright? Anytime you're hurt, or scared, or just need a friend. We're here. We're the D. A. I'd tell you what that means, but we'd get in trouble."

Colin gently cut off the sleeve of her white shirt, singed and bloody.

"Where are you from?" Colin asked, dipping a clean rag into the antiseptic Ginny brought.

"Um…Northampton." The girl inhaled sharply as the rag touched her burning skin.

"Look at me," he said, touching her cheek gently to raise her gaze from the deep burns on her arm. "What's your name?" He dipped the rag back into the pot.

"Annie…Annie Rosier…" She inhaled sharply again.

"Tell me about your father."

"He's dead." Her tone was harsh. "He was no better than the Carrows."

"He was a Deatheater?" Colin cast a light charm over the girl's arm to prevent infection and increase comfort.

She nodded.

"It's late, Annie. You can stay here, if you like. In fact, I recommend it. It's late. If you're caught out, then you'll be punished. In the morning, the House Elves serve us a good breakfast. You can join us. What do you say about that?"

Annie grinned. Ginny could see it even in the dark.

"Alright, so why don't you lay down now?" Colin waited until the girl was laying down. He spread the blankets smooth over her body, tucked them in on the side, and bent close. "There's nothing to fear here, Annie. We're all your friends. Goodnight."

"G'night."

Ginny smiled as she followed Colin back to their small bed. She laid down first. He curled around her, wrapping his arms protectively around her.

"Ginevra?" he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

She smiled.

"I love you, too, Colin."

"After all of this, we're going to get an apartment together and have sex all the time." He kissed her neck. She bit back a giggle.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Mmm..." His heavy breathing told her he was asleep. She leaned into his embrace.

She couldn't wait until all of this was over.

3

Harry stared at the ring on the table, the generous, sleek stone shimmering in the light of the kitchen. Ron came out of his room and sat down across from him, silent.

"I don't know what I did wrong," Harry said, closing the velvet box with finality. "I even listened to Hermione and shaved off my goatee. She was even saying that she thought it was time and stuff. Ugh. I don't understand."

"I don't know, mate. I would have sworn she'd say yes. I don't know what's going on with her. All I know is that now Hermione is going to be pressuring me. We aren't ready for marriage."

"Is she at her place tonight?"

"Um...not exactly. She's sleeping." Ron scratched the back of his head. "She hasn't exactly been a hundred percent lately. The recent inquisitions into house elf regulations is really getting to her." He stretched his arms. "Look, I know Ginny can be difficult some times, but she'll come around. She loves you, Harry. Trust me. She's loved you forever. You know? Of course you do. You remember when she was eleven. I'm going to go join Hermione. She'll be pissed if she wakes up without me again."

"Yeah. Thanks, Ron."

"No problem." Ron ducked down the hallway.

Harry leaned back on his chair and removed his glasses. He rubbed his eyes. Was it really just not the right time or had he done something wrong? Was he supposed to propose again or wait for a response? An unfamiliar fear tugged at his gut. He didn't know what to do and his instincts weren't going to help him.

His hands shook as he picked up the box and went back into his empty room.

3

It was one of those rare moments when the Room of Requirements was empty. Ginny stood for a few minutes in the center of the vast room, taking in the emptiness, before sitting on the edge of her bed, the sheets still askew from last night. Fear started to eat away at her stomach.

She hated it when it was empty. She hated it so much. She doubled over, her elbows on her knees and her eyes on the ground. She hated it because there were no distractions, no one needing attention, no one else hurting. She stared at the bandage on her wrist, still aching. A curse from Malfoy. The bastard. She struggled to swallow, tears beginning to surface.

What was her family doing right now? In hiding. Fearful. Her father was probably fighting. So were her brothers. Oh, her brothers. Her hands shook. All of them? Yes. All of them. Risking their lives. Daily. Constantly. She couldn't hold back the tears, the translucent pathes falling one right after the other, dropping onto the floor between her feet. Her shoulders began to shake, trembling. Would she even know if one of them was killed? Would the Carrows even bother to tell her? She struggled to breathe. She doubted it. She would go home for the holidays and find out Charlie was dead. Bill. Ron. George. Fred. Dad. Her whole body seized. What a Christmas present. She struggled to force a chuckle. What a terrible Christmas present.

"Ginevra?"

Ginny looked over her shoulder at Colin. He wore his Manchester United sweatshirt and a pair of baggy jeans.

"Colin," she sighed, brushing away the tears as best she could. She failed, more replacing them.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, sitting next to her on their bed, quickly wrapping his arm around her shoulders, rubbing her back and trying to ease her pain.

"I don't know if they're dead," she said, sobbing even harder. "I don't know if they're alive. I don't know. I need..I need to know."

"It's ok, Ginevra. It's ok." He squeezed her against his chest, holding her close, keeping her together.

"I'm sorry, Colin. I shouldn't…"

"Shush. You encourage everyone else to cry and yet you yourself refuse. You need to cry as much as everyone else, love."

"Merlin, Colin, what are we going to do?" Ginny turned into him and cried into his sweatshirt. "How can we keep doing this?"

"It'll be over soon," he said, wrapping his arms even tighter around her. "Harry will kill Vol-Voldemort. The Carrows will be removed. Snape will be put in Azkaban. Hogwarts will be back to normal."

"How do we know?"

"I've known Harry for five years, Ginevra. He does what he says he'll do. He's a Gryffindor -- loyal and brave. He's smart. He's a good wizard. He has your brother and the smartest witch of our generation with him. He won't fail us."

"I just…he's just a boy. People make him out to be…and he's just…he's just a boy…"

"We're all just human, Ginevra. No one is perfect."

"I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I can make it. It's too much."

"You can always go home. NO one will think any less of you…"

"No. Even at home…I don't know…what would I do without you, Colin? I don't…I don't think I could…I'm not even sure I can…"

"Do you think we have a future?"

"What?" Ginny looked up at him, shocked; was he telling her he didn't want to be intimate?

"Because that's how I get through this, love. By thinking of you in a gorgeous white wedding gown, by thinking about buying our house, by thinking of you fat and pregnant with our children, by knowing how happy we'll be." He put his forehead against hers. "That's how I do it. I'm not doing this for now. I'm doing this for later. For our future. Our marriage, our children, our life, Ginevra. It hasn't even started yet. We have so much ahead of us. I can't wait to spend it with you. That's why I do this. For us." He kissed her head.

"Will we…will we really last?" Ginny's voice was small.

"Are you worried about Harry?" Colin's voice was smaller.

Ginny nodded sheepishly. Colin stared into his eyes, his blue orbs full of compassion and sorrow and apprehension.

"If you want to go back to him, I'm not going to be angry. I just want you to be happy. If you're happier with Harry, then I want you to be with him. Just know that I'll die loving you. A hundred years, if that's what it takes. I'll still love you."

"Colin, we're too young…"

"Stop being so pragmatic." He kissed her again. "Have you noticed the emptiness of the room?" He teasingly pinched her. Grinning, she took off her shirt.

3

Ginny sat down at the Three Broomsticks, glancing up at Hannah behind the counter.

"So you turned him down?"

"Yeah," Ginny muttered.

"Are you still thinking about Colin?"

"Yeah."

"Have you told Harry about the two of you?"

"No. I think he knows something…but…I don't think he knows we had put a down payment on an apartment for the summer…"

"You should tell him, hon. It might help him understand."

"He might not want…"

"Harry's head over heels for you, girl, and has been for some time. A relationship with Colin when you were broken up isn't going to change that."

"IT might if it gets in the way."

"Ginny…you have to get over him." Hannah put her hand on Ginny's. "It's difficult, but you need to move on with your life. It's what he would want. It's what he told you to do, right? If you're happier with Harry? Are you happy with Harry?"

"Yeah. I…I love him, but…it's not the same…"

"Colin was a special guy. He was kind. Compassionate. Better in bed than anyone, according to you." Hannah gave her a sly grin. "But Harry has different strengths. He cares. He's heroic, brave, honest, and will do anything for anyone. They're similar, too, you know. I don't know what it is with you and the sacrificial types."

Ginny offered a wry grin.

"It's because I'm a masochist," Ginny said. "And what if Harry dies, too? What then?"

"You're doing it again, Ginny."

"Doing what?"

"Living with your head."

3

The Room of Requirements was tense. The beds were full. Neville, Hannah, Luna, Rolf, Ginny, Colin, Seamus, and a few others were making themselves comfortable on the floor while trying to ease the pain of some of the Hufflepuffs who had been caught sneaking food to the dungeons. Ginny and Colin both brought up Cedric often, reminding them of their dignity, restoring their house pride. That was important, Ginny had discovered. House pride. She saw the few Slytherins and knew they were the worst off. They were ashamed. The others were proud.

Tonight, though, house pride was low. There muttererings among the Ravenclaws about how if _they_ had been the one delivering goods, this wouldn't have happened. There were groaning among the Gryffindors that if the Hufflepuffs had _fought_ instead of _run_, they wouldn't have been caught. The Hufflepuffs bitterly crowded around their wounded, shutting out the others. Even Neville and Hannah seemed distant, and they had been joined at the hip ever since she came back bleeding and weak.

"This can't go on for much longer," Colin said, clasping his hands behind his back. Ginny looked up at him from the floor where she was rebandaging her hand.

"What do you mean?"

"Hogwarts is divided, Ginevra. We can't survive divided." He knelt down besides her. "Here, let me help you with that." Adeptly, he wrapped her wrist firm and tight, his careful hands taking away the pain.

"What do you propose we do?" Ginny asked, looking into his clear blue eyes, her mind and body encompassed by the determination making them hard as ice.

"I don't know. I kind of wish PotterWatch was coming on soon. That always gets them together." He rubbed his head. "The Carrows will get us if we're separate. They'll take us down, one by one. They'll ruin us. We have to do something to stop this house rivalry…"

"Maybe if we took down house banners…" Ginny uncertainly glanced at the four tapestries hung high on the left wall.

"No. What we need is a Hogwarts banner to put above the mantle."

"And take down the tribute?" Ginny sounded aghast. "We can't take that down, Colin. Cedric's there…Neville's parents…Hannah's…."

"I'm not saying we take it down. We hang it above it."

"And take down Dumbledore?" Her voice was low.

"Dumbledore may represent the school, but he isn't the school. We can get a small picture of him."

"I…I don't know, Colin…"

"Tell you what. I'll look in the closet. If there's a Hogwarts banner and a small picture of Dumbledore, then we'll do it."

They both knew it would be there.

"Fine," Ginny said, leaning back on her pillow.

Grinny confidently, his dimples showing, Colin went over to the closet and pulled out a rolled up, purple banner and a small picture of Albus Dumbledore, who was smiling with his eyes as usual.

"Got it," he said. "Neville! Can you help me with this?" With one swipe of his wand, the mantle was cleared off, the assortment of pictures and knickknacks finding their way onto the table pushed against the wall. He climbed on top agilely, and looked toward Neville.

"What are you doing?" Hannah cried, quickly coming over. "You can't take down Dumbledore!"

"I'm not taking Dumbledore down, Hannah." Collin gently lifted the large portrait off its hook. "Neville take this and put it into the closet." He looked down, expecting to see Neville. He wasn't there.

"What are you doing, Colin?" Neville asked, walking over. The other Gryffindors stood not too far behind him. "Put him back up."

"I'm putting up a banner of Hogwarts," Colin said simply. "So put the Professor in the closet. I have another…"

"No," Neville said firmly. "Put the picture back up."

"We aren't fighting for Dumbledore," Colin said. "We can't. He's dead. We're not fighting for that anymore."

"Then what are we fighting for, then?" A third year cried out. "What are we fighting for if not for Dumbledore?" The Hufflepuff made his way to the front to stand besides Neville. "Put the picture back up, Creevy!"

"We're fighting for Hogwarts!" Colin cried, pointing a finger at the Hufflepuff. "We're fighting for you, kid! Don't you get that? We aren't fighting for some past thought. We're fighting so that the first and second and third and fourth and fifth years can have at least one peaceful year at Hogwarts without _Them_ and without _Him_!" Ginny could see the pain begin to take over his face, the way his blue eyes melted and tears threatened to overwhelm him.

"Maybe that's what you're fighting for, but that's not what I'm fighting for," the third year said. "I want Dumbledore back! I'm fighting for him!"

"Dumbledore's dead!" Colin snarled. "He can't help us! If we win, then he won't come back! All that's left is us. Us! We can't rely on his portrait! He's just as dead as Cedric! Just as gone as Harry and Ron and Hermione! None of them are here, guys. It's up to us to save Hogwarts!"

"Dumbledore lives," Neville said, his voice low.

"How can you say that?" Collin jumped off the mantle, stumbling slightly. "How can you say he lives, Neville? You saw him dead! You _saw_ him!" He tightened his fists at his side. Ginny knew he would strike.

"Colin, calm down," she said, walking up to him and putting a hand to his chest.

"Ginevra, please step aside." Colin didn't look at her. She realized nothing would sotp him, and she stepped aside.

"Put his picture back up." Neville pushed his sleeves up.

"Neville, don't," Hannah said softly. Neville ignored her. The two stood a foot away from each other, both of them determined.

"Dumbledore's dead."

"He lives."

"Dead."

"Alive."

"How can you say he's alive?"

"Because we're here!" Neville's face flushed red, almost purple, his veins popping from his neck. "This is the only place where Dumbledore lives! This is the only place where he is! Don't you understand that?"

"He's dead! He isn't here! He isn't going to doll out lemondrops or tell us how we're doing wrong! Neville, he's dead!"

"We're fighting." Neville's voice dropped, but was still dripping with venom. "Because know what Dumbledore wants. We're fighting with his ideas. With his vision. He lives in us."

Colin punched Neville.

"Colin!" Ginny tried to get between them, but Neville punched him back, bringing the sixth year to the ground. Colin stood up and punched Neville back. They ended up on the floor, rolling around. The Hufflepuff third year rooted for Neville. No one else joined in.

"Are you done?" Neville asked, the larger man sitting on Colin.

"Get off me," Colin muttered, spitting blood on the ground.

Neville stood up. Colin left.

Ginny watched him leave the Room of Requirement and knew where he went; dormitory. She followed, silent, slinking invisible through the desolate hallways, cold and unwelcoming. She slipped into the common room after him and jogged up the stairs to the boy's dormitory.

He was on his bed, doubled over, sobbing. Ginny sat next to him, wrapping her arms around him. He turned into her, wrapping his arms around her and sobbing into her shoulder.

"It'll be alright, Colin," she whispered, rubbing his broad back. "Everything will be alright."

"No…no…no…no...they don't…they don't understand…"

"They'll come through it…"

"They're going to…to be disappointed…he's not coming back. He's not…"

"Dumbledore?"

"A-anyone…"

"Colin?"

"No one's going to make it out alive, Ginevra…no one!" His arms tightened around her, inhaling shakily.

"Don't say that, Colin," Ginny said, coldness wrapping around her stomach. "We're going to live. No one's going to die."

"You're being stupid…we're going to die…at least some of us…I don't think…I don't think I'll…"

Ginny slapped him across the face.

"Don't you dare say it, Colin Martin Creevy. Don't you dare say you'll die."

Colin stared at her, his face blank of emotion. Someone dropped something in the common room, the stream of curses carrying to the boy's dormitory.

Then, he smiled. His broad, comforting, easy smile that made Ginny's heart burst in happiness.

"I'm sorry," he said, brushing hair off her face. "I'm sorry." He kissed her cheek lightly. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah."

"You need to promise me something, though."

"What?"

"If I die…"

She slapped him again.

"Just listen, Ginevra, and then hit me, ok?"

Ginny set her jaw and glared at him.

"If I die, promise me you'll go find Harry, and promise me you'll find happiness, and promise me you won't hold onto me like they're all holding onto Dumbledore. I won't be there, love. I won't. I won't be able to hold you, comfort you, love you, make you smile. Promise me you'll find that in someone else. Promise."

"Colin...I…"

"Seriously, Ginevra. Seriously. I'm not teasing you."

Ginny looked away from his clear blue eyes, honest and loyal and brave and compassionate everything that made her love him. His hand rested on the back of her neck.

"You have to get back to the Room of Requirement," Ginny whispered. "If anyone finds you here…"

"Answer me first." Colin tilted her chin to face him. "Please."

"I…I can't promise that," she said softly, he heart slowly breaking. "I can't promise you that someone else will fill the gap you would leave." She wiped her eyes, hoping to prevent tears.

"Consider it. Please. It's the only thing I want for you. The only thing." He kissed her lips hard.

3

Ginny sat at the table of the apartment she shared with Luna and Hermione, staring at the cup of black tea in front of her, her toast cold and uneaten.

"Ginny?"

She looked up. Luna stood in the doorway.

"When did you get back from Greece?"

Luna shrugged and sat down.

"I hear Harry proposed."

"Yeah."

"And you refused."

"I didn't refuse. I just…said I needed to think about it."

"And have you thought about?"

"Yes."

"Colin's dead, Ginny. He has been for some time. He isn't coming back."

"I know."

"He hated memorializing the dead, stopping your life for the past."

"I know."

"You know what I think?"

Ginny looked up at Luna, her eyes narrowed intelligently, all the dreaminess gone since the final battle.

"What do you think, Luna?"

"I think you should do it. You love Harry. He makes you laugh. He makes you smile. He comforts you. He completes you. You can't deny it. He might not do it as well as Colin -- Colin was…something else. But you're not going to find anyone close to Harry."

"I don't know."

"You've been around. You know what you need, what makes you happy. Harry gives you that."

"I just don't know if I want commitment. I don't know if I want to…be that vulnerable again…"

"Anyone could die, Ginny."

"Not everyone is an auror."

"Ginny…you need to get over this fear…you need to stop living with your damned head."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately."

"It's a bad habit you still haven't kicked."

"I don't trust my instincts."

"You aren't going to kill anyone, Ginny."

3

Colin came up behind Ginny and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"I'm not coming back right away," he whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against her lobe. "I need to take care of some things with my family. Denis is starting to freak out. I need to take care of him. My parents need some consolation, too. You understand, right?"

"I…I don't think I'm going to be able to come back, either," Ginny whispered.

"What?" His hands tightened around her.

"My family is going into hiding. The pendant they gave me turned red." She put her hand to her throat. "It means they're preparing to leave."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know when we'll be able to see each other?" He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Do you know if we'll be able to see each other?"

"I don't know."

"This summer," Colin said seriously. "We'll get an apartment. I already have the first month paid above the Three Broomsticks. Hannah said she can get me a job scrubbing pots. Dennis will probably join us."

"Colin…"

"Yeah?" He snaked his hands under her shirt.

"What if he's not killed by the summer?"

Colin kissed her collar bone.

"Then I'll find you. And we'll live together."

"You do realize we won't be able to have sex with my mother in the house, right?"

"I'm sure we can work around that." Colin slipped her shirt over her head, the two others in the Room of Requirement respectfully ignoring their intimacy as they had done many times over the course of the year.

3

"Harry, can I speak with you?" Ginny asked, her voice incredibly small.

Harry looked up from his newspaper and nodded. "Sit down."

"I'm…I'm sorry I embarrassed you the other day."

"You didn't embarrass me, Ginny."

"I denied you in front of our family…"

"Really, it's ok."

"I just thought you deserved a reason," she said softly. He waited patiently. "Colin and I…we had a relationship…sixth year…and we were serious. More serious than we had been. We were going to get an apartment together and eventually get married. We were young, but in the war, the only thing we cared about was our future." Ginny played nervously with her sleeve. "I loved him, Harry. I still…I still do…it still hurts to think about him…about what could have been…"

"If you don't want to get married, Ginny, we don't have to."

"That's not it. No. I just…I need you to understand. I loved him as much I love you. Maybe more. I don't know. It was a difficult time. If you had a connection with someone, it was made deeper by the environment. I loved him so much. He was why…he was why I made it through as whole as I did…and part of the reason why I was so broken…" She pressed her fingers to her eyes. "And when he died…it was like everything I was living for died. There was no reason. No purpose. No future. Even you were distant for a few years, trying to put everything back together. And…and I…I didn't know what to do." She felt the tears overwhelm her. "But when you came around, after you settled into your new position…and after I went back to Hogwarts and worked things out…you…you did something no one else had done. You made me smile, Harry. You made me love you. I…Merlin, Harry. I _want_ to marry you. I want to have your children and raise them and be happy. But it's not fair that I get this and Colin doesn't…it's not fair that I can continue live while he's dead…" She started crying. "And I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Harry. I'm so afraid. I can't love someone again…I can't love them and have them die…I can't have you die, too. I can't handle it. It'll kill me, Harry. Kill me."

Harry stared at her, unsure of what to say to the sobbing woman sitting across from her. It had been almost eight years…almost eight years and she was still held captive by the war. Harry supposed he shouldn't be surprised by that. Hermione was still attached to the bottle, Ron still attached to her, and Neville still attached to his healing potion. Wounds from war run deep.

"It's ok, Ginny," he said softly. "I understand. If you can't marry me. But if you love me like you've said before, then it won't matter if we're married. If I die, you'll still break."

Ginny looked up at him, her brown eyes wide and watery.

"If this isn't what you want, just tell me," Harry said, looking at him with crisp green eyes.

"No. No. I do want it. I'm just afraid, Harry. I'm so afraid of losing you."

"I'll do everything I can to make that not happen," Harry said softly, taking her hand across the table.

"I don't know how I'd do it, Harry, how I'd handle your death…"

"Stop. Stop talking about it. Your strong, Ginny. You'd manage. And I won't die on you. I promise."

"How can you promise something like that?"

"I'm a lucky person. I survived the killing curse twice. I faced more Deatheaters than anyone else. I survived. I'm going to keep surviving. If for no other reason than for you."

Ginny smiled and squeezed his hand, wiping away her tears.

3

Ginny pushed by George, nearly pushing him over, as she surged through the crowd.

"Colin! Colin!" she shouted, nudging her way through other members of the D.A. "Colin, where are you?" She scanned the crowds for his sandy hair, his blue eyes, his stocky body. "Colin! Colin!"

"Ginevra!"

Strong arms wrapped around her and spun her around.

"I'm so happy to see you," Colin said, his nose touching hers. His face was drawn, tired. But his eyes were still alive with the same vibrancy as always. Ginny smiled into them, allowing herself to swim in their deep pools.

"I love you," she said, kissing his lips. He kissed her back.

"Harry's here," Colin said, pointing across the Room of Requirement. "I saw him. I think he left. I'm not sure. I'm so glad you're safe, Ginevra. So glad." He wrapped his arms around her in a bone crushing embrace. "Never let me leave you again, love. Never again. I was worried sick."

"So was I. So was I, Colin…"

His face sobered. His hands wrapped around her cheeks.

"You can't fight," he said.

"No. I'm fighting." She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not going to win, am I?"

"I'm fighting Colin."

Colin sighed, grinning wryly and nodded.

"If I die, I want you to find happiness."

Ginny slapped him, fighting back tears.

"Don't say that," Ginny said. "you aren't going to die. You aren't!"

Colin grinned wryly and looked around him.

"I don't want you to have too high expectations, Ginevra. You need to be prepared."

"No. It's not going to happen. I can feel it."

"I love your optimisim."

"After this, we have to go shopping for our apartment," Ginny said as people started filing into the castle.

"Ok." Colin didn't smile. He kissed her one more time, holding the kiss until they were the only ones left in the room, before going to fight.

"I'm going outside to assist in the intial assault, you stay in here and defend the castle," he said, rushing outside.

Ginny pulled her wand and watched him go, casting as many protection spells on him as she could remember. A Deatheater came around the corner and she stunned him.

3

"Ginevra Molly Weasley," Harry Potter asked in the Harpies locker room, kneeling on one knee with the ring in his palm. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Ginny stared at him for a few seconds, the color flushing to her cheeks. The entire team turned to look at her, whispering and giggling and waiting her response.

Ginny nodded her head.

"Yes," she said. "Yes, Harry James Potter, I'll marry you."

Grinning, Harry stood up and slid the ring on her finger.

"Kiss!" One of the girls said.

Harry kissed her.

3

"I'm sorry, Ginny," Neville said softly.

Ginny looked up from the body of Fred lying dead on the cot. Neville had tears in his eyes, his whites red and his hands shaking.

"Where's…where's Colin?" she asked, sniffling slightly as she turned away from Fred, George, Ron, Charlie, Bill, her parents.

"I'm sorry, Ginny…I'm so sorry. He took out twelve -- _twelve_ -- Deatheaters and four giants all on his own but…but…he was struck…I'm so sorry."

Ginny stared at Neville.

"He's dead," Neville said.

"Colin?"

"Yes, Colin."

Ginny nodded and glanced over her shoulder at her family.

"I'm sorry about Fred, too," Neville said. "There's so much…so much death…" He wiped his face.

"I know."

Neville gave her a stiff hug.

"I have to go see if Hannah's alright."

"Alright."

Neville went across the Great Hall to Hannah, who was hovering over an injured boy.

Ginny wished she could cry. She wished she could express this overwhelming desolation sweeping through her body. She wished she could feel something. Silently, she walked through the Great Hall. She paused by Colin, dead. She stared at his strong jaw, broad nose, brown hair. She stared at his sleeping face, a look of determination set there permanently. Gently, she touched his hollow cheek. She didn't feel anything. His Manchester sweatshirt was bloody and torn. She reached down and touched his watch. She touched the burn mark on his cheek in the shape of a lightening bolt. She closed her eyes. At least he didn't feel pain.

"Goodbye, Colin," she whispered to herself. "I'll see you again, someday."

She turned away and walked, unable to feel anything, only able to think. She had to move back to the Burrow, finish school, and then what? Play quidditch, she thought. She had to make money to support her family. She had to help George, Ron, Harry, her parents, everyone. That was her only option. She stood in the back, her arms wrapped around herself, her heart broken.

3

"Yes, I do," Ginny said, shaking in her white dress in front of her entire family, the Harpies organization, all the D.A. and a slew of other people she had only met in passing.

The Minster of Magic, Shacklebolt, opened his hands, and said words that went over Ginny's head. All she could see now was Harry, his green eyes, the warmth and excitement and comfort in them. Harry wrapped his hand gently around the back of her head, careful not to disrupt her hair, and kissed her for a bit longer than they should have in front of her grandparents and extended aunts. She didn't care, kissing him back for a bit longer than he had anticipated.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I believe you've gone on long enough," Shacklebolt muttered, causing those in earshot to chuckle.

Harry pulled back, flushing red and took Ginny's hand, leading her down the aisle.

Ginny smiled, even laughed, as they piled into the limo with Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville. Hannah and Rolf climbed in a few seconds after them, taking their seats next to Neville and Luna respectively.

"Well," Neville said, scratching his head. "That was some kiss. I think you gave my gran a heart attack."

"She survived," Ginny said, taking Harry's hand.

"Barely," Neville muttered.

"Shove it, you," Harry said, and kissed Ginny again, this time even longer.

Ron groaned and threw a balled up tissue at him. "That's my baby sister, you know."

Harry gave him the finger, not bothering to break the kiss. Hermione laughed. Luna sighed. Hannah looked longingly at Neville. Ginny was happy, the joy filling her heart and spilling into her soul.


End file.
